Combined androgen blockade

Combined therapy, the treatment of advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate by total androgen suppression, is still a controversial subject today. Some studies performed during the 1980s support the value of this therapeutic approach, while others have found it to be no more effective than surgical or chemical castration alone. Recently, the results of a randomized, controlled, multicenter intergroup study of combined therapy sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) became available. These results suggest that combined therapy offers some advantages over monotherapy in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. A variety of drugs are available to suppress adrenal androgens. However, the value of these agents in prostate cancer therapy continues to be hotly debated.